Vape pens are basically eGo-style electronic cigarettes. They’re a bit larger than cig-a-likes, yet much easier to figure out than mods. They’re probably the most popular type of E-cig on the market today, mostly because they generally offer a step-up from traditional cig-a-likes, while also delivering the ease of use and simplicity that can be difficult to find with mods.

Another great thing about Vape Pens is the fact that so many brands make them – giving the consumer literally dozens (or even hundreds) of options.

Of course, buying a vape pen might seem a bit daunting at first, especially when you begin to realize just how similar they can all seem. Price differences can also vary greatly, as can extra features, warranties, basic functions, etc.

So how do you choose the perfect vape pen for you? This is really the big question, and we’re going to attempt to help you answer it by supplying you with a list of some of the best and most recommended vape pens available from the UK.

How Vape Pens Work?

Vape pens serve as intermedia-level vaping devices, falling somewhere between cig-a-like vapourizers and box mods or mechanical mods. They fill a vital role for the vaping habit by offering a better vaping experience than a cig-a-like, but for less money than a box mod.

But vape pens themselves also come in a wide range of different styles – and in some ways, these different styles might function with slight differences.

Nevertheless, the vast majority of vape pens all function in basically the same fashion, and utilize the same basic parts.

So in this article, we’re going to discuss the basic parts of a vape pen and how they work together to help the device function.

But first, we need to talk a bit about some of the more technical aspects of the vape pen, and what some of the more popular terms used in conjunction with the devices mean to the user.

What does ‘mAh’ mean?

mAh is basically an acronym that stands for ‘mili ampere hour’, and is used to label the energy storage capabilities of a battery. If you shop for E-cigs or vape pens online, then you will likely see this used very often to tell you how powerful different E-cig batteries are – and for this process, it is extremely helpful.

This measurement helps to describe exactly how much power the battery will supply, and for how long it will be able to keep it up. A battery that is rated at 1,000mAh, for example, is capable of providing 1,000mA for 1 hour. So obviously – the higher the rating, the more power you will get from the battery.

Different types of vape-pen connections

There are many different types of vape pen connections – but in this article, we will briefly describe 3 of the most popular and widely-used types of connections… the 510 connection, the 808 connection, and the 601 connection.

This type of connector has become the most popular, and is regularly used on new tanks, mods, and vape pens. The 510 connector basically gets its name from the length of the connector itself, combined with measurements related to the threads.

But the threads and the connector itself are not the only part of a 510 connection. While the main body of the connector functions as the negative side of the circuit, there is also a small pin that runs through the inside that acts as the positive contact. Most 510 connections these days are spring-loaded – but the pins can also be screw threaded or friction-fitted.

808 threaded connectors were more popular before 510 connectors became the mainstream choice. Back in the early days, 510 connectors weren’t as reliable, and 808s provided a solid choice that never failed to perform well. A lot of cartomizers currently use this type of threading – but it is almost never seen anymore on vape pens with tanks, as 510 threads are much more common.

601 threads are thicker than 510 threading, and contain fewer threads on the connector. This type of threading isn’t used by many brands anymore – and for good reason. It doesn’t offer many attachment options, as most brands nowadays have completely switched over to 510.

But, if you own a battery with a 601 connector and don’t want to waste it, don’t despair! There are adapters available to turn 601 threads into 510 so that you can attach 510 attachments – which is pretty awesome.

Vape Pen Glossary

Here’s a rundown of the basic, essential parts of a vape pen, and why they are a part of the device. Not all vape pens will include every single one of these in the design – but most of them will contain the vast majority of them.

Mouthpiece

The mouthpiece (also sometimes known as a ‘drip tip’) is the part of the device that you hold up to your mouth. This is the part of the device through which the vapour will leave the atomizer to be inhaled by the user.

Tank/Cartridge

This part of the vape pen holds the E-liquid. Some tanks are made from glass and are transparent, while others (especially pre-filled cartridge-types) are not. Some tanks are also refillable, while pre-filled cartridges are simply discarded after use.

Atomizer/coil

The atomizer is the part of the device that holds the coil – and the coil is the part of the device that heats up to atomize the E-liquid. Just as the name suggests, the coil is comprised of a coiled bit of special wire that heats up when power is applied to it from the battery.

Wick

The wick (usually made of cotton or some other similar type of material) is what absorbs the E-liquid and holds it against the coil, allowing it to be atomized.

Base

This part of a vape pen generally sits between the battery and the atomizer. Sometimes it helps to fill a gap, but sometimes it actually serves as a base for the tank and/or atomizer. Not all vape pens utilize this part – but most of them do.

Battery

This is the part of the vape pen that supplies power to the atomizer. Without a battery, a vape pen wouldn’t be able to function.

Charge port

This is the part of the pen that’s used to attach the charger, or charging cable. Some 510 vape pens make use of a screw-in charger, and for these you need to disconnect the battery and attach them to the charger separately… but a lot more of them nowadays use Micro USB connectors, allowing you to plug the battery in without unscrewing it from the rest of the device.

On/Off switch/Firing Button

This switch is usually located on the battery. When you press it, it activates the atomizer and supplies current to the coil.

Glass Tank

Some vape pens have a glass tank that you can see through to see how much liquid you have left. Some vape pens even come with replaceable glass tanks that you can use to replace the original if it breaks.

Beauty Ring

A beauty ring is a cosmetic ring that goes between the battery and the tank. It serves to streamline gaps caused by components that are different sizes, and greatly enhances the sleek, attractive look of the device. Not all e-cigs utilize this component – but those that do usually ship with one in the box.

Every option on this list is near the top-of-the-line where vape pens are concerned – so shopping among the options on this list can really help you to weed out the ‘undesirables’ and focus on pens that’ll provide you with real, measurable quality. You can also find out a bit more information about some of the eGo-style electronic cigarettes we wrote about before, here. If you are looking for the best vape pen out there (when ordering from the UK), then keep scrolling down.

Categorizing Vape Pens by Type

As you likely know, there are quite a few different types of vape pens on the market today – and here, we’re going to go over the general categorizations and briefly explain how they’re different.

E-liquid vape pens essentially work by using electric current to atomize an E-liquid. This liquid is made from a base of either vegetable glycerin or propylene glycol, and usually contains nicotine and flavouring. E-liquid vape pens usually have a tank that you can re-fill once it becomes empty, though some vape pens that utilize E-liquid also come with pre-filled cartridges. Some of these cartridges are refillable, but the vast majority of them are disposable.

The main advantage to this type of a pen is that it’s very inexpensive to use (E-liquid doesn’t cost much to buy and replace). But, it also gives you a huge variety of different flavour options as well. You can find an E-liquid flavour to suit just about any taste or preference – which is pretty awesome if you’re not into the taste of that traditional tobacco-flavour.

Oil vape pens differ from E-liquid vape pens in that they are designed to be used with actual oils and concentrates instead of E-liquids. The most obvious and popular use for this is with hashish oil (oil made for use with medical marijuana), though there are some other types of oil that can be used in these types of pens as well.

Oil vape pens operate a little bit differently than E-liquid vape pens, in the sense that they utilize a bit of a different ‘tank’ system. The tank for the oil is engineered specifically to hold oil or concentrate, and the coil is also usually designed a bit differently. A lot of oil vape pens will also vape wax, which isn’t as popular, but very similar to oil in most respects.

There are some devices (like the V2 Pro Series 3) that can be used to vape E-liquids, wax/oil, and dry herbs – but all three of these require different cartridges. You should never put oil or wax into a cartridge designed for E-liquid, as the two are different enough that the results probably won’t be very good.

Wax and oil are essentially the same thing. Once again, the most common use for vaping wax is to vape THC that has been directly extracted from a cannabis flower – though there are some other types of wax that can be vaped as well.

Obviously, THC isn’t legal for recreational use everywhere – so this type of medium might tend to be more popular in parts of the world where cannabis use has been legalized, either for recreational or medicinal use – but it is still a budding market (no pun intended!), and is gaining popularity with people who don’t want to actually ‘smoke’ the plant in the traditional fashion.

One important tip for using wax (or oil) is that you just want to use a very tiny bit, and apply it directly to the heating element. Some people make the mistake of filling up the chamber, much like the tank on an E-liquid E-cig – but this is a very different style of vaping, and will create a mess if you do so.

Dry herb vape pens are basically vape pens that will allow you to place bits of dry herbs into a ceramic heating chamber, where they are then heated up – allowing the user to vape the fumes without actually setting fire to or burning the herbs.

This type of vape pen, once again, is more commonly used for cannabis – but it can also be used with tobacco.

This type of a pen is also quite simple to use, but it is very different from an E-liquid pen. Obviously, you are trying to heat the dry herbs up to a certain temperature to get the best hit from them, but this process is quite a bit different from vaporizing E-liquid.

Some vape pens will allow you to use special cartridges designed with heating chambers in them so that you can vape both E-liquid and dry herbs, albeit with a cartridge change in-between – but the vast majority of vape pens will not allow you to vape both.

3-in-1 vape pens are electronic devices that give you the ability to vape all of the above mediums with one, universal vaping device. This is usually accomplished by changing out the cartridge, as different mediums require different types of coils and heating processes.

The upside to this type of a device is that it gives you a lot of flexibility – but the downside is that such devices can also tend to cost a bit more, since they require three different cartridges to function effectively.

But, then again, buying a universal device like this is also much cheaper in the long run than buying three different devices, one for each habit – so really, it all depends on exactly how you vape.

If you feel that you will only want to vape using one medium, than there isn’t a reason to buy a universal device, and you can save money by getting something less expensive. But if you are interested in switching things up from time to time, then you will actually be money ahead if you buy a 3-in-1 vape pen.

Our Top Vape Pen Selection For E-liquid

Apollo Ohm Go Vaping Kit

The Ohm Go Tank comes with the Ohm battery and a 2ml Portal Tank, making the kit TPD legal and ready for plug-and-play vaping. It comes with everything you need to get started, and can be used with virtually any type of E-liquid.

Features include a top-fill design, self-adjusting battery power up to 50W, 1900mAh of battery capacity, a compact design, and two coils. The device ships with a 0.5 Ohm coil for sub-ohm vaping, as well as a 1.0 Ohm coil for those who prefer a more mouth-to-lung style. It comes in 3 different finishes, but has a tough and rugged exterior – so you won’t have to worry about dings or scratches showing up any time soon!

It also comes with a charging cable and a user manual. If you’re looking to get started with a simple, powerful, and easy-to-use device that won’t let you down, then the Ohm Go Kit by Apollo is an awesome option to consider.

Titan Hybrid Vape Pen

This vape pen, priced at just £49.95, will certainly get you up-and-vaping without a problem, regardless of your level of experience. This kit comes with pretty much everything you’ll need to get started, including a 2ml tank, a 1100mAh battery, a wide-flow drip tip, a narrow flow drip tip, a 1.0 Ohm coil, a 0.5 Ohm coil, a micro USB charging cable, and a user manual.

As far as features go, the Titan Hybrid Vapourizer comes packed with them. The coils are packed with 100% pure organic cotton, and since it comes with two different coils, you can certainly use this vape pen for both Direct-To-Lung vaping and Mouth-To-Lung vaping.

If you’re looking for a vape pen that’s packed with features, handles a wide range of different types of E-liquids and E-liquid blends well, and that will be both simple to use and powerful enough to get you plenty of clouds, then this is certainly the pen for you.

Jac Vapour Series S

The Jac Vapour Series S vape pen is probably most well-known as the first TPD-compliant E-cig to hit the market in the UK. We were really excited to get our hands on it, and we certainly weren’t disappointed by what we found! Our vape test confirmed that the Series S is not only a well-rounded vape pen for beginners – but also a force to be reckoned with for experienced vapers as well.

Priced at a very reasonable £19.99, this pen comes in two colors – black and stainless steel. It’s sub-ohm-ready, features a 900mAh capacity battery, was designed with user-progression in mind (though the use of different coils, which can be installed very easily), and can easily make the switch from mouth-to-lung to sub-ohm direct-lung vaping in a matter of seconds, which is awesome.

It ships with 2 different coils, a charger, the Series S battery, and the Series S tank. Granted, the 900mAh battery might seem small in comparison to other devices – but don’t let it fool you! The Series S packs in some serious power for a vape pen of its size, and you’ll be amazed by what it’s capable of!

Joyetech eGo AIO Vaping Kit

If you’re looking for a TPD compliant, leak-proof vape pen that will not only adhere to the new regulations, but also vape you up with little problem, then the Joyetech eGo AIO Vaping Kit is most certainly a kit that you should take a look at.

It features a 2ml E-liquid capacity, is childproof thanks to a pressure-twist cap and five-click button power supply, and combines fashion with plenty of power to spare. It has an adjustable airflow controller, and comes with the AIO battery, 2 0.6 ohm coils, the AIO mouthpiece, a USB cable, and a warranty card.

Priced at around £23.95, this vape pen is most certainly an awesome choice for anyone who doesn’t want a lot of complication. It’s powerful, it’s sleek, it’s attractive, and it creates plenty of vapour for vapers of any skill level. You really can’t beat it, which is why it deserves a special place on our Best Vape Pen list.

V2 Cigs Standard Vape Pen Kit

If you’re looking for a cig-a-like vape pen, then V2 offers one of the best options on the market. Their Standard Vape Pen Kit comes with 1 automatic battery, 1 manual battery, 10 cartridges, 1 smart charger, 1 wall adapter, and 1 user manual. The kit basically comes with everything you’d need to get started vaping, though it could also make a fantastic addition to any current vaper’s collection.

Priced at a very reasonable £49.99, this kit definitely contains value for the money. It’s even large enough that two people could make use of it (it does come with two batteries). Plus, the smart charger comes with a sophisticated internal chip that prevents overcharging.

It also helps your batteries to charge faster than normal, so you won’t have to be worried about leaving home with no power after they’ve been plugged in for a while.

If you’re in the market for a mini or a vape pen that looks and feels more like a real cigarette, then this V2 Vape Pen kit might be the perfect option for you.

V2 Pro Series 3

This Vape Pen kit offers an incredible product at a truly affordable price. While it is a bit more expensive than some of the other options that we’ve reviewed on this site (it sells for about £64.99), I would say that it’s ‘truly worth the money’ based on its style and performance.

This vape pen creates a truly impressive amount of vapour, and also looks fantastic! In addition to this, it provides the battery and cartridge capacity of a much larger device – while still retaining its subtle, compact size.

This vape pen kit comes with one VR2 Pro Series 3 Vaporizer Pen Unit. It also comes with one magnetic USB charger and one E-liquid Cartridge.

If you’re looking for something that looks, works, and feels great, than this is probably a device that you should consider looking at – especially if you don’t mind spending a little bit more to get something that’s truly ‘top of the line’.

Our Top Selection of Vape Pens For Dry-herbs

Cosmos Professional Dry-Herb Vapourizer

This vape pen, priced at £109.95, does a great job of combining value, quality, style, and practicality all rolled into one dry herb vapourizer. Dry herb vaping is becoming more and more popular these days – but you need a quality pen to make use of the habit!

This is what ePuffer is attempting to deliver with the Cosmos – and we must say that we were impressed!

This pen is said to be ‘the first professional portable herbal vapourizer to use a Smart OLED digital heat panel’ to help achieve optimum temperatures for vaping. It’s snappy, solid, and features a ceramic chamber body with a convection air system, both designed to deliver an ideal dry-herb vaping experience.

It’s made of carbon fiber, so it’s both light weight and durable…though it’s also heat resistant. It boasts a battery capacity rated at 2,000mAh, a temperature range of 185*C-230*C, and comes with 4 convection shells, a USB wall charger, an instruction manual, a packing tool, a cleaning brush, and tweezers.

V2 Pro Series 7

If you’re looking for ‘the ultimate’ 3-in-1 portable vaporizer, then the V2 Pro Series 7 should definitely be on your priority list. It’s a universal vaping device, so you can use it for e-liquids, wax/oil, and loose-leaf/dry herbs… making it as dynamic and flexible as it is functional.

It ships in three different colors (black, blue, or stainless steel), and sells for just £129.95.

But you also get a full kit along with the vape pen itself. It ships with a magnetic USB charging lead, a wall adapter, a magnetic E-liquid cartridge, a magnetic loose-leaf cartridge (you can buy the oil/wax cartridge separate), and a small set of tools for cleaning and packing.

Temperature settings on this device include 3 different options – 200*C, 210*C, and 225*C. Plus, the E-liquid cartridge holds 2.5ml of E-liquid, providing you with a maximum of 1,200 puffs per refill.

If you’re looking to enjoy a range of different mediums in your vape pen, but don’t wish to buy different pens for different things, then we would certainly recommend that you take a look at the V2 Pro series 7.

V2 Pro Series 3

The V2 Pro Series 3 is an older version of the V2 Pro Series 7 – though it also offers a 3-in-1 experience at a less expensive cost. Priced at £59.99, it offers a premium dry-herb vaping experience at an affordable price – and is still a top contender in the vaping marketplace.

The kit comes with one magnetic USB charging lead, a wall adapter, and one E-liquid cartridge. Just like its bigger brother, the Series 3 is a 3-in-1 vaping device, so you can actually use it to vape loose leaf, E-liquid, and wax/oil – though you will need to purchase the loose leaf and wax cartridges separately, as they don’t ship automatically with the pen itself.

Like the Series 7, you can order the Series 3 in black, blue, or steel. It features a battery output voltage range of 3.2-4.2V, and a battery capacity of 650mAh… so you certainly won’t need to worry about not having enough power.

If you’re in the market for a quality vape pen and would like to be able to vape loose leaf, wax, and E-liquid without spending a fortune, then the Series 3 is still a top-contender in our book!

Our choice of best vape pens for waxes, oils, and concentrates

CJoy UK CBD Oil Vape Pen Starter Kit

This device, which sells quite inexpensively, allows for easier CBD oil vaping. As far as controls go, it doesn’t get much easier than this. It doesn’t even have an on/off button! To use it, you simply apply the oil and inhale through the mouthpiece… that’s all there is to it!

The thin, sleek body of the device fits well into a pocket or a handbag – making it a perfect choice for vaping on-the-go. Plus, the end of the device also functions as a stylus – so you can use it on your touchscreen device or tablet as well.

You can find it offered as cheaply as £14.99 in the UK, which is an awesome price!

It’ll give you 400 puffs on one charge, and features a 1.0ml cartridge for vaping oil as well – so it certainly packs in enough power to make it through the day.

KandyPens Gravity Vaporizer

The Gravity Vaporizer from KandyPens features standard 510 threads, titanium coils, a sandblasted black finish, a battery with a lifetime warranty, and a deep, .5 gram capacity chamber.

Temperature options include 300*, 350*, 390*, and 430*… plus, it features a quick, 5 second warmup time, which is awesome. Priced at £129.95, this pen will certainly get you off to wax vaping without much hassle.

The premium titanium coils, as well as the fully quartz crystal chamber, combine to make this vape pen a wick and wire free device. Instead, it uses SloBurn technology, which will allow you to have more ‘casual’ dabbing sessions without the hassles that wicks and wires can create.

Accessories included in the starter kit include a dab tool, alcohol cleaning wipes, a travel case, a USB charger, and an instruction card.

If you’re looking for a vape pen that will allow you to wax vape easily and without problems, then we would certainly recommend that you give the Gravity Vaporizer a try!

How to compare vape pens and choose the one that’s right for you

Buying your own vape pen can seem like a daunting task – especially when you begin to realize that there are literally hundreds of options available.

Well fear not – because in this short post, we are going to give you some tips for comparing different vape pens, so that you can choose the best device for you!

1… Price

Obviously, you’re going to want to figure out a price range before you buy something. On the less-expensive end, you have devices that cost about £24.99 or less. There are even devices that cost around £15.00 that will work – but at or above the £24.99 mark will certainly get you something that will last and work well (if you choose a well-made device, that is!).

2… Quality

Is the manufacturer well known? Do their products have a good reputation? Do they offer a quality guarantee to back up their products? These are very, very important things to look for. A lot of people try to buy cheap knock-off vape pens, and sometimes this works – but you will be ahead of the game if you buy something from a quality manufacturer right from the get-go.

3… Features

Does the vape pen in question have any variable wattage or voltage settings? Does it come with a temperature control option? Can you sub-ohm vape with it? How large is the battery? How easy will it be to buy new atomizers for it?

These are all questions that will help you to begin to see which vape pens might work better for you. Granted, you don’t need a host of crazy options to get something good – but more options will also give you a more flexible vaping experience, and that is certainly never a bad thing!

A: Due to the new regulations ushered in by the TPD in the UK, there have been some changes made that will affect what types of vape pens you’ll be able to buy in the future. Keep in mind that current vape pens that don’t necessarily meet TPD regulations are not going to become illegal to use or keep – they just won’t be sold any longer.

Vape pens will no longer be allowed to have a tank larger than 2ml – so this is probably the biggest change that we can expect to see as the TPD rolls out. As far as the mechanical side of things goes, vape pens won’t change much from what they used to be, and with the exception of the tank size restriction, there really aren’t many regulations governing vape pens that would make any of them illegal.

A: The answer to this question will vary with the vape pen. Less expensive pens should be able to last you at least several months, if not a year before breaking down. More expensive pens, however, can last for months, a year, or even more than a year. As a general rule, you can expect even the most rudimentary vape pen to last at least 5 to 6 months – though the answer to this question really does vary with the type and quality of the device in question – which is why it is in your best interest to spend a bit more to buy something that’s high in quality.

A: In short, yes… vape pens are a great choice for beginners because they normally don’t require a lot of experience or special knowledge to operate. Some of them come with variable wattage or sub ohm capabilities – but for the most part, they’re just simple plug-and-go devices.

A: E-liquids are all basically the same – and while there are different bases, flavours, and nicotine strengths, they will all work in your vape pen. Different brands really just offer different tastes and blends. Functionally, as far as vape pens go, pretty much all E-liquids are the same and can be utilized in your device.

A: When shopping for a vape pen, it’s important to look at the longevity of the device. Can you buy new atomizers for it? If so, how much do they cost? Can you buy extra batteries down the road? How expensive will it be to keep the device working? Are there parts on the vape pen itself that aren’t replaceable? If so, how long is this device likely to last before needing such a part?

Cost is also something to factor in. Is it in your price range? Is it going to do what you want it to do and provide value for the money?

These are all very important questions to ask yourself before investing in a more expensive vape pen.

A: If you’re new to vaping and don’t want to spend a ton of money to get started, then a vape pen is going to be a fantastic use of your money. They are typically better than cig-a-likes because they’ll give you a better idea of what vaping is actually like, but they’re also not as expensive or as difficult to use as a mod.

If you would like to try vaping, then we would certainly recommend that you start with an inexpensive vape pen, and then work your way up if you feel like you would like to try some different, more complex devices.

A: Avoid buying devices that aren’t very highly reviewed. Every vape pen has its own upsides and downsides – but if it’s a quality device, it’ll have some positive reviews and it will be apparent that at least some people have had a good experience with it.

Avoid devices that have received truly terrible reviews, as these will be the most-likely to leave you disappointed.

Thanks for the write up but I found you to late!l bought a pen from stall in the shopping center,then checked reviews online,they were not that good but I like the vape pen and haven’t had a ciggie for 8 weeks, which is a record for me.